I Love October For...

Roadside pumpkins seen on the way to Bromham

 ...Pumpkins and Squash
Turk's turban squash ready for winter storage
There's something quite satisfying in bringing the harvest home in the mellow days of autumn. In 2013 it was apples which caught my eye; this year it's pumpkins and squash that are my heart's delight.

I've returned to Turk's Turban as my squash of choice for this year. It's just the right size for the two of us; not so small to be fiddly and not so large we have to eat it in every meal for a week. It has a good flavour (so I dispute Wikipedia's entry) and its shape makes me giggle.  Useful and gigglesome has to be good right?

We live close to Wiltshire's market garden area around Bromham, so piles of locally harvested pumpkins are currently stacked high at the local farm shops. Soon families will be going there to select their pumpkin for carving in readiness for Halloween.

I'm not a huge fan of Trick or Treat, but I do like the unsaid agreement around here that a doorstep posed pumpkin means tomfoolery of the spooky sort is welcome. No sign of a pumpkin and the ghouls and witches just glide on by.

Those of you wishing to make something a little more spectacular for your doorstep may like to look at the Zombie Pumpkins website. You may also be surprised - like I was when writing this - to learn Trick or Treat's origins are rooted in Britain and Ireland, not those naughty Americans we've been led to believe.

What do you love about October?

Comments

  1. Sue Garrett2 October 2014 at 09:25

    I'm not a trick or treat fan either. When asked I usually say that I would like a treat which causes confusion,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP4 October 2014 at 09:22

      When we first moved down here 30 years ago, NAH opened the door to some Trick or Treaters and said 'what if I said Tick?'. They were so programmed to receive sweets that they didn't know what to do! We wouldn't dare do that now in case the house got covered in eggs and flour :/

      Delete
  2. CJ2 October 2014 at 09:29

    That's quite a pile of pumpkins, they must have been quite a sight when they were growing. I really enjoyed going back to re-read your apple post. I just wrote about maybe choosing a Christmas Pippin for the allotment, I can't decide which two varieties to pick. Do you have any particular favourite? The Turk's Turban squashes look good, I might give them a try next year. I grew a Crown Prince this year, and it's a bit on the big size, as you say, we'll be eating it every day for a week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP4 October 2014 at 09:23

      I must go back to Bromham and take a picture of them in the fields CJ. Our local farmer grows his own too for his farm shop (1 mile away) - they're not as visible though.

      Delete
  3. Unknown3 October 2014 at 22:07

    I love misty mornings and steaming bowls of pumpkin soup :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP4 October 2014 at 09:31

      Hello Katie and welcome to Veg Plotting :) I love pumpkin soup too - I have a recipe for roasted squash soup somewhere *rootles in the blog's nether regions* - here you are...
      Roasted Squash Soup

      Delete
  4. Lea3 October 2014 at 22:12

    Lovely pumpkins!
    Here, no light on in the house means no trick or treat.
    Have a great week-end!
    Lea

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP4 October 2014 at 09:35

      Thanks Lea - I think quite a few people here leave the lights off too. Have a great weekend :)

      Delete
  5. Anna5 October 2014 at 19:13

    Oh I like the look of 'Turk's Turbans' VP - each squash looks unique. Will have to give them a try one year. This year I've grown 'Black Futsu' and 'Wee Be Little'. I love the smell of autumn which I think first becomes discernible in October and also eating 'Williams' pears when I can track them down.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP5 October 2014 at 20:12

      Turk's Turban is a lot of fun - I think of it as the cottage loaf of the squash and pumpkin world :) I've grown 'Jack be Little' before, but not come across 'Wee be Little' - I must seek that one out.
      There's a rich, spicy scent to Autumn isn't there?

      Delete

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